Breetzke looking to change SA ‘A’ approach

Breetzke, who is also fresh from a Test series tour with the senior Proteas side, played an exquisite knock of 74 off 80 balls, but it was not enough for South Africa to level the three-match ODI series as they lost by 30 runs.

South Africa’s squad for the two matches has been rotated with the aim of giving exposure to as many players as possible, but Breetzke, who is leading the side after replacing Kyle Verreynne, has called for his side to change a picture that has been a common feature for a while.

The A-tours are often seen as the stepping stone to the senior side, but the 29-year-old wants to rewrite the book.

“These tours are always important regardless of what can happen to the potential of being selected to the Proteas side,” he said.

“It’s a massive privilege for me to lead my country, whether it be the Proteas, SA U19 or SA ‘A’, I’m humbled by the opportunity and in terms of my career growth it’s obviously massive because I’m still a young captain.

“I am still learning a lot and I’m surrounded by a lot of good players and guys that have played international cricket.

“Hopefully I can do the job well and lean on them for some experience.

“I feel like with SA ‘A cricket there has been too many tours that have gone by and we have been beaten by other teams.

“So to be honest, my focus is not on making lines for the Proteas side but making lines for the SA ‘A’ side to win games of cricket, and that is always my focus, to win games of cricket.”

There will be an opportunity for Breetzke and his side to get on the board in the final match tomorrow, even though the hope would have been to win the series.

There will also be a chance for some of the younger players that haven’t been exposed to international cricket to get more overs behind them as they build towards the coming four-day series.

“By the end of the tour I would have loved to have achieved a series win. I think we as the SA ‘A’ side haven’t achieved a lot of series wins. The goal going in was to hopefully get a series win against what is a good Sri Lankan side.”